DA’s Office to Host “Hidden in Plain Sight” Initiative at the Dartmouth Mall to Help Parents Spot the Signs of Substance Abuse
Bristol County District Attorney’s Office
Thomas M. Quinn III
District Attorney
Press Release
September 15, 2016
Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn’s office will be hosting an interactive drug abuse prevention display at Old Navy in the Dartmouth Mall this Saturday called, Hidden in Plain Sight. The one day event is taking place as part of the mall’s Safe Kids Day.
The display is a mock teenage bedroom that is designed to raise awareness about the signs of addiction or drug use a parent might or might not notice in their child’s room. The items in the room can range from alcohol, tobacco and marijuana related paraphernalia to items associated with prescription drug and heroin use.
The Hidden In Plain Sight initiative will assist parents spot signs of at-risk behaviors by using an interactive display of a teenager’s bedroom. The display will be staffed by volunteers from the district attorney’s office. The volunteers, through the use of the interactive display, will teach parents to see the signs of hidden substance abuse. The program uses a re-created bedroom of a typical teenager to test parents’ knowledge of common items that can be signs that the teen is using drugs or drinking alcohol.
The exhibit will be open to adults 21 and over from 9 a.m. to 7 pm on Saturday September 17th.
The district attorney’s office is hosting the display in collaboration with Old Navy and the Dartmouth C.O.P.E (Community Offering Prevention and Education) taskforce. The exhibit will be located at the front of the children’s section of the Old Navy store at the Dartmouth Mall.This display, the first of its kind in Bristol County, made its debut last month at the Taunton Galleria Mall.
The opioid epidemic currently plaguing the nation has been felt in Bristol County’s cities and towns. Families throughout Bristol County have been affected by this crisis. Some have lost loved ones and others search for treatment and support. This special event seeks to educate families on the signs of addiction so they can seek assistance and treatment before it is too late.
“This is part of our initiative to bring awareness to parents to help them address issues related to drug use before they spiral out of control,” said District Attorney Quinn. “Education and awareness is critical to addressing the opiate crisis.”
This display will also be available at many other locations across Bristol County. Dates and locations TBA.
Contact:
Gregg Miliote
Director of Communications
508-997-0711
774-292-9576—cell